I believe the quote by artist Pierre Teilhard De Chardin “we are not human beings on a spiritual journey but Spiritual beings on a human journey” and I also agree with Leonardo da Vinci who said “Unless the Spirit moves the hand, there is no art”.

I take the inspiration that Almighty God gives me each day whilst observing His creation all about me, to try and paint the colors and textures and moods and essences of everything that I feel and see on to my canvas. I often use acrylic paints because they suit my fast loose style of painting and offer me the spontaneity that I desire.

While reading a book, watching television or browsing the internet on my PC, I might notice a vibrant color that excites me and I get an overwhelming desire to create a painting using that color. I start a painting with that color and as it progresses I will feel God impressing on me which color to layer on next and when to use some different textures and tools such as palette knives and sponges and a raft of other implements to get the ‘feel’ of what I am trying to convey to the viewer. I often have no detailed plan ahead and the painting just evolves as my spirit is sensitive to His spirit and the work emerges miraculously and wonderfully.

Sometimes I take a photograph of a person and paint my impression of them in a fast and loose style, very rarely taking more than 1-2 hours to fully complete it. The completed painting usually still is recognizable as that person, but seems to have captured ‘the essence’ of the person somehow and can evoke a sense of strength with vulnerability, or joy and exhilaration in the subject’s personality.

I also create digital art using an electronic tablet and pen, using similar methods that I use when painting on a canvas, yet finding that even more possibilities are available because of the phenomenal tools available on the software programs you can obtain.

My desire is that those viewing my art would be drawn deeper into the image/s and to feel themselves being ‘touched’ somehow by what they see and feel. My prayer is that those who buy my art would enjoy it for many years to come and that it would enhance their life in some small way. Paintings can be very healing and can evoke emotions of joy and contemplation as you look at them. My greatest joy is to see someone looking at one of my paintings and smiling broadly as they feel the fun that I had painting it.

I read a quote from artist Andre Gide which describes beautifully my attitude to my arts practice “Art is a collaboration between God and the artist, and the less the artist does, the better”.